Hydraulic rotary drilling bit



May 24, 1932.

M. C. YEAMAN HYDRAULICROTARY DRILL'ING BI'T Filed March 7,. 1931 2 sheets-sheet 1 May 24, `1932. M. c. YEAMAN HYDRAULIC ROTARY DRILLING- BIT I F'iled March', 19,'51 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Muay 24, 1932 l Mouais c. YEAMAN, or roNcA CITY, OKLAHOMA HYDRAULIC ROTARY `DItILLIlSTIGr BIT Appucauonemed VMarel; 7,

This inventionrelates to certain new and useful 'improvements in hydraulic rotary' drilling'bits.

provide a hydraulic rotary drilling bit especially designed for the drilling of prospect holes for testing underlaying formations below the surface of the earth for oil, gas and :mineral products, the drilling bit embodying l0 an impeller or turbine wheel operatively engaged with a cutter head with exhaust passages through the bit body for the escape of the impelling fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic rotary drilling bit of the foregoing character 'wherein' the passageways in the bit body for the impelling fluid.

include removable tubular wear surfaces so that permanent parts of the bit body are protected from erosion. 5

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawin s and claimed.

n the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a hydraulic rotary drilling bit constructed'- in accordance with the present invention, showing the` cutter head at the lower end of the bit body and the sidel reamer;

Figure2 is avertical longitudinal sectiogial view of the drilling bit;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the diametrically disposed reamers; I,

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the head of the bit body;

. Figure 5 is a bottom plan vlew of the cutter head; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the 11npeller or turbine wheel for driving the cutter head.

The drilling bit comprises a cylindrical body 10 housing the operating mechanism for the cutter head 11 located exteriorly of the lower end thereof, the upper end of the body 1G being provided with an annular pocket 12,

The primary object of the invention is 'to 193'1. serial No. 520,893.

the wall of which is internally threaded as at 13 to receive the externally threaded fiange 14 depending from 1 the head 15 which is of frusto-conical formation, an externally threaded collar '416 rising from the head 15 to which a drill pipe or stem is attached. The head 15 has a cross piece 1T there-in` forming 1 the top wall of a cross passage 18 outletting at each side of the head as at 18a as shown in Figure 2, the cross piece 17 as shown in Fig]- 60 ure 4 being disposed between lateral inclined l passages 19 terminating in outlets 2 0 at the lower end of the head 15 at points spaced 90 from theoutlets 18a,v the opening 18 `communicating with a central bearing passage- 21 inthe base of .the head 15 as illustrated.

The pocket 12 in the bit body 10 has an annular shoulder 22 formed in the lower end thereof that extends transversely of the body and upon which an impeller case 23 is mount- 'edthe casefhaving an exterior screw threadediconnection with the threads 13 upon the wall of the pocket 12, while an axial bore 24 1n the impeller case provides bearings for the tubular drive shaft 25, the bore of the impellercase having a ring gasket 26 set there- Iin engaged with the tubular drive shaft.

An annular tapering pocket 27 is provided in the impeller case 23, the upper end of the inner wall of the pocket being cut away and spaced from the lower end of the head flange 14, while the outer wall of the pocket or case extends upwardly for engagement with the lower edge of the head iange. A turbine wheel or impeller 28 has the central hub p0rtion thereof internally threaded as-at 29 to be engaged with the screw threaded portion 30 of the tubular drive'shaft 25, the latter extending upwardly into the passage opening 21 in the head' 15 as shown in -Figure 2. Inclined tapering blades 31 are carriedby the impeller hub 28 and occupy the inclined annular pocket 27 in the impeller case 23. Roller bearings 32 are interposed between the tubular drive shaft 25 and the wall 33 of the bit body 10 in spaced relation toeach other and below the impeller case 23, beingretained in position by retaining rings 34 and 35, the retaining rings` 34 and 35 carrying 100 packingrings and gaskets to protect the cutting teeth 39.

A pair ofdiametrically arranged longitudinally extending passages 40 are provided in the drill body 10 and in which renewable linings 41 are positioned, said linings being in the form of pipes that have their upper l ends threaded forl reception in openings provided in the lower end of the case 23 as shown at 42, the pipes 41 communicating with the annular pocket 27 in theimpellercase, 'while the lower ends of the pipes 41 register with openings 43-provided in the cutter head 11 during rotation of the latter. VDiametrically opposite reamers 44 are set into side'openings 45 provided in the bit body 10 and 'operate to cut a clearance for the drill body 10 and cutter head 11 when the peripheral teeth 39 of the cutter head become slightly worn.

character described, a cylindrical bit body,

A pipe liningl 46 is provided for tubular drive shaft 25 providing a wear surface for the drive shaft against erosion, the pipe lining 46 having threaded engagement at its upper end with the tubular drive shaft asA illus-- trated in Figure 2.

In the operation of the drilling bit, motive fluid under pressure of a slush pump located. on the surface of the earth is delivered through a drill pipe or stern to the `collar 16 of the bit head 15 to flow through the openingsv 19 and 20 in contact with the inclined blades 31 of the impeller 28, the impeller being attached to the tubular drive shaft 25 for communicating rotary motion to the cutter head 11. The motive fluid exhausts through the pipe linings 41 in the passages 40 during each quarter revolution of the impeller and` vthrough the outlets 43 when the latter are rotatably moved into communication with the exhaust passages, the motive fluid washing over the cutter head teeth38 and 39 for cleanbody 10 while another partof the motive fluid rises through the pipe lining 46 for the tubular drive shaft 25 to exhaust through the lateral ports 18 and 18a and rising to the surface of the earth. The roller bearings 32 are well protected from 'the motive fluid and those surfaces lof the bit body which are subjected to erosion by contact with the motive ycured in the bit body having a From the above detailed description of the` invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown. and described the preferred embodimentof the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim :r-

1. In a h draulic rotary drilling bit of the character escribe'd, a cylindrical bit body, a tubular shaft journalled therethrough and constituting an upward exhaust for motive fluid, a rotary impeller fixed to the upper end of the shaft within the bit body, and a cutter head fixed to the lower en d of the shaft exteriorly of the body.

2. In a hydraulic rotary drilling bit of the character described, a cylindrical bit body, a tubular shaft j ournalled therethrough and constituting an upward exhaust for motive fluid, a rotary impeller fixed to the upper end of the shaft within the bit body, and a cutter head fixed-to the lower end of the shaft exteriorly of the body, the bit body having moi tive liuid exhaust passages therein laterally of the tubular shaft arbd renewable pipe lin:` ings for the passages.

3. In a hydraullc rotarydrilling bit of the from the lower end of the impeller to the lower end of the bit vbody and laterally lof the tubular shaft and renewable pipe linings for the passages. f

4. In a hydraulic rotary drilling'bit of the character described, a cylindrical bit body, a tubular shaft journalled therethrough, a

- rotary impellerixed to the upper end of the shaft within the bit body, a cutter head fixed to the lower end of the shaft exteriorly of v the body, the impeller includin la case seshaped annular pocket therein, and the blades of the propeller being of V-shape and inclined and 4moving through the annular pocket.

i 5. In a hydraulic rotary drilling bit of the character described, a cylindrical bit body, a tubular shaft journalled therethrough, a rotary impeller fixedv to the upper end of the shaft within the bit body, a cutter head fixed to the lower end of the shaft exteriorly of the body, the bit body having motive iiuid exhaust passages therein and renewable pipe linings for the passages, the impeller including acase secured in the bit body having a V- shaped annular pocket therein, and the blades of the propeller' being` of V-shape and inclined and moving through the annularV pocket.

6. In a hydraulic rotary drilling bit of the character described, a cylindrical bit' body, a tubular shaft journalled therethrough, a rotary impeller xed to the upper end of the shaft within the bit body, a cutter head ixed to the lower end of the shaft exteriorly of the body, the bit body having motive iuid exhaust passages therein extending from the lower end of the impeller to the lower end of the bit body and renewable 'pipe 11nings for the passages, the impeller including a case secured in the pit body having a V- shaped annular pocket therein, and the blades of the propeller being of V-shape and inclined and moving through the annular pocket.

7. In a hydraulic rotary drilling bit of the character described, a cylindrical bit body, a tubular shaft journalled therethrough, a rotary impeller ixed to the upper end of the shaft within the bit body, and a cutte'r head fixed to the lower end of the shaft exteriorly of the body, the bit body having motive fluid exhaust passages therein and renewable pipe liningsrfor the passages, the supply passages for the motive fluid being iny communication with the impeller and other passages in the bit body being in communication with the upper end of the tubular shaft and forming outlets from the bit body for the motive fluid iiowing upwardly through the tubular shaft.

8. In a hydraulic rotary drilling bit of the character described, a cylindrical bit body, a tubular shaft journalled therethrough, a rotary impeller fixed to the upper end of the shaft within the bit body, and a cutter head xed to the lower end of the shaft exterior'ly of the body, the bit body having motive fluid 

